Suspension bar for vertically suspending plans, drawings, maps, and the like in storage cabinets



DQCB H1, 1953 K, KULBL,

SUSPENSION BAR FOR VERTICALLY SUSPENDING PLANS, DRAWINGS, MAPS AND THELIKE IN STORAGE CABINETS Filed Sept. 21, 1948 lieu ezzfimm if K5 ZbPatented Dec. 11, 1951 SUSPENSION BAR FOR VERTICALLY SUS- PENDING PLANS,DRAWINGS, MAPS, AND THE LIKE IN STORAGE CABINETS Karl Maria Kiilbl,Vienna, Austria Application September 21, 1948, Serial No. 50,356 InAustria October 1, 1947 Claims. (Cl. 129-1637) The present inventionrelates to an improve- -ment in suspension bars for suspending sheetssuch as plans, drawings, maps and the like in storage receptacles orcabinets having spaced stationary rails embodied therewith.

The invention further relates to suspension bars in which each comprisestwo separate bar elements and resiliently operable clamping means urgingone bar toward the other.

More particularly the invention relates to suspension bars embodying across sectional contour to enhance a clamping effect and an arrangementwhich simplifies the insertion and removal of sheets and one whichutilizes a minimum of space in a storage cabinet or receptacle.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide suspensionbars of angular profile having at least an intermediate portiondisplaced out of the vertical plane in a horizontal direction to providean elbow or bend open toward the plane of suspension and permitting anesting arrangement of a plurality of suspension bars.

It is an additional object to provide a suspension bar arrangement inwhich each bar includes complementary elements of angular profile and inwhich one bar has embodied therewith carrying or supporting means incooperation with the guide rails of the storage cabinet and the supofthe suspension bar in accordance with the invention,

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on line III-III of Figure 2,

- Figure 4 is a section taken on line IVIV of Figure 2,

Figure 5 illustrates a modification of the cross sectional profile oncross sectional form of the suspension bar, and

Figure 6 illustrates in cross section the assembly of a plurality ofsuspension bars modified in accordance with the arrangement of Figure 5and disposed in nested relationship.

As indicated in the drawings, each suspension bar includes two componentbars I and 2. As shown in Figure 1, the central section of the barscomprise legs connected together at right angles to provide a bend whichis open toward the vertical plane of suspension. Extending from the legsof the angled sections are upper and lower aligned straight portions Iaand lb and 2a and 2b re spectively. These portions are at obtuse angleswith respect to legs of the angled intermediate section. These alignedstraight portions project beyond the lateral edges of the angledintermediate section to provide, as shown in Figures 2-4, upper andlower supporting and stiffening arms 5 and 5a on the bar I. Thesupporting arms 5 are further provided with hooked ends I to cooperatewith the fianges of the guide rail 6 of a pair of rails in a cabinet,not shown. As indicated a hook I is provided at the opposite end of eachsupporting bar assembly to cooperate with the spaced rail 6 and thesupporting bars are thus displaceable along the rails. The bars I and 2of the supporting bar assembly further include resilient clamping means.As shown in Figure 2, the pressure plates 3 have fiat or ellipticalpivots 4 extending'from opposite ends thereof and journaled in recessesor indentations provided in the upper and lower arms 5 and 5arespectively of the bar I. The plate 3 has at its opposite end upper andlower projections 3 for engagement against the projecting ends of theportions2a and 2b of the bar member 2. The pressure plate 3 is normallyresiliently urged into-contact with the bar 2 by means of springs 8riveted to the upper and lower arms 5 and 511 respectively and havingtheir ends cooperating with the pivots 4 in the plate 3. As shown, theplate 3 swings about an axis extending at right angles to thelongitudinal axis of the suspension bar assembly and the particulararrangement of springmeans embodied with each of the bars 5 and 5aassures that pressure will be applied to the bar 2 on opposite sides ofthe intermediate angled portion to an equal extent. In the particulararrangement shown the guide rails 6 are L-shaped in section and theprofile of the hook I on the ends of the bars I is such that these barsare loosely angle section of the clamping bar I. wallsection I3 isprovided with window openings and between the walls of which areinserted index insertable between the flanges of the guide rail but thelower shorter flange of the rail cooperates with the hook to preventunintentional displacement of the supporting bars from the rails. Thebars, however, are readily removable from above, as apparent from Figure2.

In instances where a plurality of supporting bar assemblies are mountedwithin a single storage receptacle in nested relationship, as shown inFigure 1, it is necessary for removing any one suspension bar todisplace the contiguous bar or bars with respect thereto. In utilizingthe invention when a suspension bar having sheets clamped between thebar components I and 2 is removed from the cabinet the pressure plates 3are turned in the direction of the arrow in Figure 3 and against theaction of the springs 8, whereby the clamping bar 2 is relieved ofpressure. Then the clamping bar 2, now freely accessible, is removed sothat the sheets, previously clamped by the same, are released for addingor" removing; a sheet. Then the two clamping bars I and 2 are placed oneon top of each other with the sheets therebetween, and each smallpressure plate 3' is' again turned over into the pressure applyingposition as shown in Figures 2 and 3 in which the plate 3, through itsprojections 3" engages the lateral extensions 2a and 2b of the clampingbar 2, and urges the same against the pile of sheets and toward bar I toclamp the bar's together.

For preventing a fracture or deformation of the supporting arms 5 and 5athe same may be given a suitably resistant profile, or may be connectedwith each other by a cross-web or transverse web SD for the purpose ofenhancing the carrying capacity. The supporting arms 5, 5a and 517" mayalso be riveted to the carrying rails is and lb. 7

It should be noted in this connection that an angle of 90 degrees is themost suitable for the relationship of the legs of the angledintermediate section of the clamping bars; because said angle, as seenfrom Fig. l of the drawing, warrants the .smanest distance-loss betweenthe individual suspension bars. Of course, it is possible to [make theclamping bar profile into an acute or an obtuse angle according to therequirements without too seriously impairing the efiect sought by theinvention. For large-size sheets, clamping-bars of greater clampingcapacity may be used presenting a repeatedly buckled profile for thepurpose of enhancing the clamping effect.

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate a modification of the invention in which therespective bar members I and 2 of each suspension bar assembly aremodified on their upper ends to provide additional clamping surfaces toenhance the clamping effect on the sheets held therebetween. As shown inFigure 5, each clamping bar I in addition to the extensions Ia and II)is provided with a further extension projecting from the upper marginaledge of extension Ia. This further extension includes an angled sectionII inclined with respect to section Ia and an abutment surface I2extending upwardly from the end of section I I and a double wallprojection I3 terminating closely adjacent the abutment section I2.

This section I2 is located in a horizontal plane rearwardly of thevertex Ic of the intermediate The double strips having indicia thereoncorresponding to the particular plans, drawings or maps clamped by theparticular suspension bar, the indicia being visible through theopenings. The longer extension I I forms a vertex I6 with the abutmentedge extension I2 and when a plurality of suspension bars modified asaforedescribed are assembled as shown in Figure 6 the double wallsection or sleeve I3 of the clamping bar I of one suspension barassembly abuts the vertex I5 of the next adjacent assembly whereby theassemblies mutually support one another.

The clamping bar 2 of each assembly is likewise modified at its upperend in that the extensions 2a are provided with further extensions 20having the same angular relationship as the extensions I I andcooperable with the extensions II increasing the clamping effect onsheets or plans held by the. bars I and 2 as modified. It is obvious,therefore, that the additional angled surfaces l I and 2.0 materiallyincrease the clamping action on the plans or sheets.

It is therefore-clear that I have provided a suspensionv bar assemblyincluding a supported bar and an active clamping bar, each bar havingcomplementary angled intermediate sections or portions having major andminor axes and upper and lower straight sections extending from theintermediate sections, the upper and lower sections being in alignmentwith one another and provided with lateral extensions projecting beyondthe lateral or opposite side edges of the intermediate sections, theextensions of the supported bar being longer than the extensions of theother bar and the upper longer extension of each supported bar having ahook at each end for cooperation with the rail in the storagereceptacle. Further, this upper extension, which constitutes thesupporting arm, is connected to the lower extension or arm by atransverse web. Additionally, the upper and lower arms of the supportedbar are provided with recesses or indentations receiving pivots of thepressure plates and spring means act on the pressure plates to cause theopposite ends thereof to engage the lateral extensions of the other oractive clamping bar.

In the modifications disclosed in Figures 5 and 6 additional extensionsare provided on the upper arms of each bar, the additional extension onthe supporting bar having offset portions including a portion bent uponitself to provide a sleeve or double wall portion for receiving indiciabearing means such as a strip. It is evident from the drawings that whena plurality of supporting bars are arranged in contiguous nestingrelationship the double wall section of one bar will abut the shortconnecting portion of the supporting bar of the next adjacent section.

Having now described my invention what I claim is:

1. A suspension bar for vertically suspending sheets such as plans,drawings, maps, and the like in storage receptacles having spacedstationary rails embodied therewith, comprising a pair of complementaryclamping bars eachhavin'g in section two legs defining a right angletherebetween, said legs having major and minor axes and opposite sideedges, aligned extensions projecting outwardly from the legs in thedirection of the minor axes and at obtuse angles with respect to thelegs, said extensions lying substantially in the vertical plane ofsuspension of the sheets and having a greater lateral extentin thedirection of the major axes of the legs providing the right angledsection and projecting beyond both side edges thereof, the extensions ofone bar projecting laterally beyond the extensions of the other, hookmeans embodiment with the extensions of said one bar and cooperable withthe railsfor supporting the same whereby the said one bar constitutes asupported bar and is displaceable relative to the rails, clamping meanscarried by the extensions-of the said one supported bar outwardly of theside edges of the legs and including resilient means and an elementoperable thereby in one direction to be engageable with the extensionsof the said other bar to move said other bar toward the supported bar tothereby clamp at least one sheet between the bars, and said elementbeing movable against the action of said resilient means to release theclamping effect to permit the removal and insertion of sheets betweenthe bars and disassociation of said other bar from the supported bar.

2. Suspension bars for vertically suspending sheets such as plans,drawings, maps, and the like in storage receptacles having spacedstationary rails embodied therewith, comprising a pair of complementaryclamping bars each including clamping surfaces including an intermediateportion comprising upper and lower legs at right angles to each other,said legs having opposite side edges and major and minor axes and beingdisposable in nesting relationship, aligned extensions projectingoutwardly from the respective legs at obtuse angles thereto andextending in the direction of the major axes of the legs andconstituting upper and low-er reinforcing and supporting arms lyingsubstantially in the vertical plane of suspension of the sheets, saidarms projecting laterally beyond the respective side edges of the legs,an additional extension projecting from the upper arms of each bar in adirection of the minor axes of the upper legs and at an angle to eachupper bar to provide an additional major clamping surface, the saidadditionalv extensions being parallel to each other when the bars are innested relationship, hook means embodied with the arms of one bar andcooperable with the rails whereby said one bar flrst'portions beingparallel to one another to provide additional clamping surfaces, saidadditional extension of one bar including an integral portion bent uponitself to provide a double wall portion ofiset from said first portion,a short connecting portion lying between the double wall portion and thefirst portion providing the offset relationship of the first mentionedportions,

bar, and clamping means carried by the ends of constitutes a supportedbardisplaceable along 9 the rails, and clamping means carried by thearms of the supported bar including a resilientl operable pressureapplying element normally urged toward the bar and engageable with thearms of the other bar to clamp the bars together with the sheetstherebetween and said element being movable outwardly of the bars torelease the clamping effect to permit removal and insertion of sheetsbetweene the bars and disassociation of said other bar from thesupported bar.

3. Suspension bars for vertically suspending sheets such as plans,drawings, maps, and the like in receptacles having spaced stationaryrails embodied therewith, including a pair of bar members each havingcomplementary clamping surfaces to receive sheets therebetweencomprising upper and lower legs at right angles to "each other, saidlegs having major and minor I axes and opposite side edges and beingdisposable in nesting relationship to constitute a suspension bar unit,extensions projecting outwardly from the respective legs at obtuseangles thereto and extending in the direction of the minor axes of thelegs and constituting upper and lower reinforcing and supporting armslying substantially in the vertical plane of suspension of the-sheets,the said arms projecting beyond both side edges of the legs in thedirection of the major axes thereof, an additional extension projectingfrom each upper arm including a first portion at an angle to each upperarm and extending in the direction of the minor axes of the legs, thesaid said one bar including a movable resiliently operable pressureapplying member normally movable toward the said one bar and engageablewith the arms of the other bar to clamp the bars together with sheetstherebetween, said member being movable away from said one bar torelease the clamping effect to permit removal and insertion of sheetsand 'disassociation of said other bar from the supported bar.

4. Suspension bars for vertically suspending sheets such as plans,drawings, maps and the like in receptacles having spaced stationaryrails comprising a pair of complementary bar elements each having in itscross section upper and lower aligned straight portions lyingsubstantially in the vertical plane of suspension of the sheets to besupported and an intermediate portion including legs connected to eachother at right angles and connected to the respective upper and lowerstraight portions at obtuse angles, said intermediate portions beinguninterrupted and constituting sheet engaging surfaces, the straightportions extending laterally beyond both ends of the intermediateportions and terminating in opposite ends, the opposite ends of thestraight portions of one bar element extending beyond the opposite endsof the straight portions of the other bar element when the elements aresuperimposed, hook means embodied with the opposite ends of the straightportions of said one bar element for cooperation with the spaced railsto support the said one bar element for movement therealong, andresiliently operable clamping means embodied with both straight portionsof the said one bar element including a pressure applying memberengageable with the straight portions of the other bar element at areaslaterally outward of the opposite edges of the intermediate portions tomove the said other bar toward the said one bar element to clamp the barelements together with sheets therebetween and said member being movableto an inoperative position so as to permit disassociation of the saidother bar element from the said one bar element to provide for removaland insertion of sheets.

5. A suspension bar as defined in and by claim 4 in which the straightportions of the said one bar element projecting laterally beyond theends of the intermediate portion constitute upper and lower arms andsaid arms having indentations therein in alignment with one another, andsaid resiliently operable clamping means including spring memberscarried by the arms and extending over the indentations and saidpressure applying member comprising a plate having pivot, meansprojecting from opposite edges thereof and disposable in the,indentations beneath the spring members, said spring members cooperatingwith said pivot means to urge the plate to pressure applying clampingposition and said plate having extensions on the opposite ends thereofparallel with the pivots for cooperative engagement with the straightportions of the said other bar element.

KARL MARIA' KLBL.

REFERENCES CITED UN ITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Name Date Pugh eta1. Oct. 23, 1894 Millert Sept. 17, 1895 Johanson Apr. 6, 1915 Keays eta1. l Oct. 25, 1927 Lisle Apr. 8, 1930 Henschel May 5, 1931 FOREIGNPATENTS Country Date Germany 1900 Switzerland 1929 Great Britain 1936Germany May 15, 1936 Switzerland Nov. 16, 1943

